Tractor



` fvl N; ALBERTSON Er AL TRACTOR Oct. 22,` 1946.

Filed July 1, 1958 4 sheets-sheet 2 ...'.IIII'I'II'AVlY.'l..........'...............l I.. P

JOHN #inw/Nauw muFQ-MES 1 PATENT-FICE emanado@2a,lazio 1 i` o 2,218,510.i

fi:``Minneapolis-Moline` Power Implement` Com-y.` i A j; pany,Minneapolis, Minn., #corporation o! Dela-"@Appncuoniuiy151938.senalNmemss i i v 4 c e "s'ciaims (o1. 18a-"525) fThispmvenuqfentestdimpoieimsinim- `dottedunes possibi@ adjustedbosmonsof the rtors," andthe primary object of the inventionis ffrPDiLWheeieidiateraijsupporting Wheel. to providev a tractorof exceedingly sinipleIand 'I is` an Aerxlarged ""vertical'cross section inexpensiveeefietreetien empleyins Ohlyaisinsl thrqueegthefronml"endof the "tractorframe 5 traction `Wheel andapair.drsupporting `vvhfeels; `showing thesteering connections tofthe yfront l and Whiehfeupperting wheeleeeerrangedifor'- Wheel-w f :lateral adjustment with respect"` to `the lineof Fig; 8 i`s a plan'vietwoffthe steering worxn and travel in"or1der toaccommodate the tractor to"` "gefilfihe ml'lhiiilg Piate and front WheelSUD- `Various 11`s`e`sl'` Another .object` is lto providea-'portingffooLwshow-ng the vertically axised steer. 10 tractor inWhlchthe drive connectio'njllnaybe ingshaft in horizontal cross section.1

i made to the" ground-"on` traction Wheel without` Figi? iS e?fregmeiitery, right handside eleva- `requiring` differential gears,thugreatly simplil.` tion' offthe Vfrontal end `:of-the tractor,showingfyingjthe construction without nafpy way inter; a rnodifl'edarrangement ofv a dirigible front wheel t l `femm; witntheeffectiveoperation "amr:iraniani` mounted one forwardlyand downwardly arcu- 41liVeralblityA of "the tractor@` A `further-1 Objectis ated bracket forconvenience in steering.` 1 u to provide a tractor employing a frontaldirigible A Fig. "10iS @horizontal Section along the lrle wheeLa reartraction Wheel,` and a` laterally po-Q lli-#l0 in Fig. 9, `and`showingthe front wheelas sitioned` support Wheelfcarriedlliyfa adjustableadjusted@ makes. turnto the right; l 1" outriger` or from themainitractorffrarne Figi-"11 is le;"fragmentary` rear elevation of the2.` in uch mannerthatadjustments of theyleterl" outer endof` thefsidewheel Outrigger and the 20 spacing` `betweenfthe4 supporting" andtraction t Wheel carriedthereby, this view showing'a `modi Wheels maybemad asi-quired j t `fied outrigger assembly and means for adjusting Afurther object is to provide a tractorofv this *the height at which the'side wheel is carried. l kind in which provision is alsomadeforlateral` Figi; 12 `Sfe `side."elevation of the'v assembly tadjustments of the dirigiblelfront `Wheel to thus Shwn in Fig.J "11,`and also illustrating the Wheel r 25 further jadjustfthe relatileipathstraveled b y th in dotted `linesmiri` an elevated condition forlowwheels ovei thefground or fields." 1 f t eriiigfthai Side 0fthetrctor. i Still a further object ls'ytdprovideaj tractor "1 Referring110W more particularly and by refer? asdescribed ihcjdmga""1tera1`1yspaced sup.' encezcharacters to thedrawingail designates aaopotingyor" side vwheelland` `w1tl`11meanf01j"`ad j` traction wheelwhich i sjournaled by its"a`xle Il 30 justingytheheight atwhichfthiswheellss'up;` lnagear boxv 0r housinelZ. This husins I21isy ported. Asafresult this wheeimy `be raised Yrit'idly` securedyatl betweentheSpedrear when running onthe uphill sideduringifside hill` ends Gt thechassis frame i4; andy together With" ulowingl operations `j(an`d `viceversa), to` thus fwthisllm; fOrIIlS lthe mail! fOl'e and aft ChSSi*maintain the transverse equilieum'orthe me: j and 'support assembIyofthetractr-` `The power]35 tor. g p unit'or enginfelmavbe of ans/suitablesize and L These t andotlier more detailed and.` specific ftyp'e;andincludes the propeller shaft I6 1which objects willber disclosed' `inthe courseof thefr eXi'fnfiSialWardlY and into)theyhousing` I2i.followinglspecificationlieference `beingfhad to Where if drivestheexle H through the directly theaccompanyingdrawings,injwhieh-L;A"`me`shed pinion `and gear I1 and i8;` Thepower V40 Fig. 1 isalperspective View ofthe tractor ein Unlt His enclosed by a Suitablehood '9 and' `bodying this'mventiom 4 l l may have the uradlatorimforthe usual cooling maillist-r2` an enliiged reali end new-effing@ Thexifrontal endof the assembly/1S Supported Fig. s 1s a furtherenlareedfdtau view 'orme glhdigg mrz; llggltggbeotts 45 outriggenor boomfor thespportilig wheel "bracketior' forlrjmember 23. The` footA is con:showing fthgwubula'r member thereof?" -nf section lnected to averticallyextended shaft journaled te better disclose intel'eriy erfenged Perisfbyl `bearings :zsm theffronu 'end `portion of the Flg 4 is a crosssectionfalong the-une l."frzatlfneTM; and this"shaft carries a. wormgear 26 `50 Figfsf t" 'f" 1 t l l" .Wlthfwhichis rneshedasteering wormorlpinion" F181 5 1S eereSS Seetien alongtheJine-Sfviin lL-"disposedwithinethe cyanea-icalarousing` 2s. e rFg. 3. x H 'steering'frod 29^is`journaledby-ibearings 30" Fig. `(iis. a` vfrontwend viewfvf thetrctorgnf i along'one'side ofthe frame I4 and at its frontalgihesamescaiexas Fia 2; Yvandals indicatinein` end istconneceto thewormzi;` while `@was rear end it is connected, by the universal joint3|, to a steering column 32 which is supported by a bracket 33 in arearwardly and upwardly inclined position; A steering wheel 34 `issecured.;- atop the column` 32 and permits the rotation off the Worm 21to oscillate the gear 26 and correspo'ndingly move the wheel 2| on avertical axis for steering the tractor.

A mounting flange or plate 35 is formed, or rigidly secured, at thelowerend of the shaft 24 and the upper end of the wheel mounting foot 23is formed `with a horizontally extended and laterally turned end portion36 adaptedv to rest'fiatly.

tight in order to rigidly secure the front wheel s mounting assembly tothe steering assembly. The end portion 36 of the mountingfoot also hasthe additional laterally spaced openings 40e-40a through which the cal:-screws 39-39a may be introduced" (instead of the openings :i1-31a) tothus vary the lateral positionvof the wheel assembly relative to thevertical axis of the shaft 24.

' A rear supporting or side wheel 4I is provided, andthe same is carriedin laterally spaced position relative to the ground wheel I0 by means ofanoutrigger, boom, or arm, designated generally at 42. The side wheel 4|may either be arranged in transverse alignmentwith the traction wheelII), as shown, or it may be spaced forwardly or rearwardly therefrom,if` so-v desired. This outrigger 42 extends laterally and comprises thetubular` member 43 which is telescopically mounted over an elongatedhanger shaft v44 extend/ed horizontally and laterally from the gearhousing I2, and which is rigidly supported by its flanged end 45 boltedat 45 to saidhousing. A,'I'he v outer end of the tubular member 43 isturned downwardly at right angles to form a supporting foot 41, into theopen lower end` of which istelescopically inserted the shaft 48 having arigid flange or collar 49 bearing upwardly against the end of the foot.This shaft 4B is turnedat right angles at 50, and ,forms the spindle 0raxle 5I for the side or supporting wheel 4 I s AInnerand outer fasteningbolts 52 and 53 are extended diametrically throughthe tubular member 43and shaft 44 near the inner and outer end portions, respectively, andserve to lock these parts together. However, the member 43 is providedwith a series of equally spaced and diametrically aligned apertures 54and 454a adjacent eachbolt and, by removing the bolts 52 and 53 andinserting them through any-aligned and corresponding pair of theseapertures, and of course through the openings in the shaft 44, themember 43 may be secured in any one of several different v adjustedpositions laterally along the shaft. In

this manner then, the relative lateral spacing be- ,i

tween the side wheel 4| and the traction `wheel I0 may be variedat'will.

A seat, bracket or arm 55 is mountedpat its lower end under the innerfastening bolt 52 andextends rearwardly and upwardly to support the seat56, affixed to its :upper end, in a position convenient to the steering`wheel 34. The outer fastening bolt 53 also'supports the outer-end of adiagonal brace bar 51 whichrextends inwardly and -forwardly to the frame|4, where lit is fastened by the screw 58. This brace bar relieves theoutrigger assembly of rearward and horizontal strains, as will beunderstood. It will be noted. that the 'of Ythe Outrigger, and the shaft48 therein, and serve `to maintain the wheel 4| in vertically adjustedposition. lThe wheel may thus be locked in position to roll straightahead exactly parallel with the traction' wheel I0. Where the wheel 4|is located out of alignment with the traction wheel I0, it may bearranged to caster on shaft 48 when making a turn.

The tractor is operated in usual manner but it will be evident thatextreme flexibility is provided by the various wheel adjustments, thusmaking the tractor Suitable for many uses where a larger model,especially where provided with fixed wheel spacing, would be whollyunsatisfactory. The assembly is, furthermore, simplified and the weightand size considerably reduced, due to the fact that no differentialgears are employed, and differential action, is of course unnecessarysince the drive connection is made only to the single traction wheel I0.

The possible adjustments of the front and side wheels are many. yForexample, either wheel may be adjusted to any of several lateralpositions (by removal and replacement of the various fastening screwsand bolts 35i-39a and 52--53) entirely independently of each other or incorresponding steps as the particular use of the tractor may re-` andthe wear on the front wheel tire may be reduced by the provision of afront wheel bracketfor fork of the type shown in Figs. 9 and' l0. Thisbracket, designated at 23a, is adjustably mounted 'Y byl screws throughits end 36a to the plate 35a carried by the shaft 24a to turn therewithin steering, but the bracket is curved forwardly and downwardly towardits lower end to thus carry the wheel 2Ia forwardly of the verticalsteering axis. As a result, when making a turn for instance to theright, the wheel 2| is thrown forwardly and outwardly of the fore andaft axis of the tractor and any tendency of the wheel to "dig in theground is prevented. The contact with the ground is further distributedmore evenly across the tread of the tire when making the turn, anduneven tire s wear and wear due to pressure against the side walls ofthe tire is accordingly prevented to a large extent. The same effectsobangle to thestraight-ahead travel leading forwardly and to the rightin order to bring its frontal end directly ahead of the traction wheel.A preferable arrangement, however, would be to build out the frontal endof the tractor on the right hand side so that the steering shaft 24 andso i wheel as largasthetraction wheel Hl." The fact `that only' onelarge wheelsis necessary` furtherl reduces `initial cost and upkeepoftthe tractor,

l The greater part of the weight ofthe tractor is hung inwardlyoithetraotion wheel" I0, and is thus` effective to prevent any possiblelateral tip- "ing or overbalancingaction while in use.

n In` connection with this tippin`g"V of the 'trac'- tor, it will beapparent `that theuse of `a single side wheel mounted and arranged asherein dis-` closed makes possible the very 'convenient 'trans``verseadjustrnent of the `tractor during side hill plowing. As` shown inFigs. `11"and IZQtheout# trigger 1"assembly may be reversed by rigidlymounting the tubularmembera to the tractor l andswiveling `the shaftI44a,` for axial rotation,`

' therein. `'Iheside wheel dla may bemountedby 1 the shaft 48ain asocket in the `lower` front portion d'lain the manner hereinbeforedescribed,

, and thetransverse adjustments ofthe side wheel` `may, be carried out:with this assembly, also in the manner described. However, the. shaft44a `may be allowed to rotate on its horizontal axis "to thus swing thefoot 41a"in a vertical, forea`nd qa`ftpl`aneand` accordingly vary ,theheightyat,V which the sidewheel is"carried. Thus the wheel `maybe,raised `(`l1"ig."12)` whenrunning at the uphillside OLthe'tractor tolowertheupperside of the tractor? andgprevent it frompossiblysip:

l ping over `tothe `dofwnhill side; For convenience in thusoperating the(side wheel, the shaft'Ma` may `carry a hand lever 6l havingafreleas'able `pawl "$2 `for `engaging ai, toothed quadrant63` securedto theouter end`of ,the tubular member 43a tothus lock `theslialt inVanyjselected position.` The lever 6| maybe securedby a bolt 64 `at anypositionealong the shaft 44a according toits ad'- justedpositiontransversely` of the f tractor, and `the, shaft may belockedinitrmsverseadjustment, while `still being free torotate,` `bymeansA of a cap screw (0r screws`)1"65 grooveslli` inthe shaft.`

engaging peripheral e, 1 The assembly of the members 43a and 44a, shownin Figsifll and `12` may be preferable to that heretofore` described,also for the reason that thebrace 5'! `and seat bracket 55 may bemor'erigidlyconnected or even welded,to thetubular member 44a; sincethismember is itself rigidly mounted.

The operators St Se "and the steering wheel 4 34 are located tolone sideof the main body ofgthe tractor, as shown, and thus the operator is`permitted a clear view `of theypathpahead at all times. Thisladvantageous,` arrangementis" made possible lby the factthatlthe wheel4 I, being :rela-` tively small, presentsno obstructionto theseat `andsteeringwheel as would `be the case were this e j p 2,218,510`associated `partsgmight be supported in alignment" with the tractionwheel These `modifications are thoughtltobe obvious asregards"mechanicalconf, l struction, so that illustrationlisunnecessary, and, e of course,` such i variations are considered to" bewithingthe scope of the present invention.

vspect to the frame.

needed.

made the structure as disclosed; provided such modiiications comewithinvthle spirit andscopel of the appended claims. Having nowvtherefore since only `a single large Iand expensive tireis It isunderstood that modifications" may bev fully illustrated and describedour invention,`

Letters Patent is: l e e 1.` A tractor comprising a frame, a tractionwhat Weclaim to be new and desire to protect by wheel at the rear oftheframe, a `dirigible front' `wheel at the frontal portion `of the frame,an

Outrigger `arm extended transversely and substantially `horizontallyfrom the frame,` a wheel supporting memberhaving a journaled connectionwith the outer end of the arm for movement thereonl about a generallyupright `axis,`the lower e end of the said member being turnedhorizontally l to form a whevelmounting spindleja side Wheel journaledonl the spindlejand means for locking the member in adjusted positionsabout its upf` right axis xto locate the spindle in inwardlyfon`outwardly turned positions andfor adjusting the transverse spacingof`the `side `wheel with re- 2.A tractorcomprising a framepa traction wheelat therear of the frame, a dirigible front .wheel at the `frontalportion of the frame, an

Outrigger armf extended"transversely and substantially horizontally Yfrom the frame, a wheel thereon about a generally upright axis, thelower end ofthe said memberfbeingwturned horizontally to form a wheelmountingspindle, aside "wheel journaled on vthe spindle, and` means'forlocking the member in adjusted positions about its upright axis`tolocate the spindlein inwardly or outwardly turned positionsand foradjusting the transverse spacing of the side wheel with respect to theframe, `the diameter of the side wheel being less than the verticalclearancebetween the Outrigger arrnfand the ground whereby the saidwheel; in its innermost adjusted position, may operate below thearm..4 eA l,

e 3. A tractorcomprising a `frame, afrelatively alongside a rear portionof the frame, a dirigible front wheel assembly at the forwardpart of theframe, anl arm member `extended `transversely from the frame at the sideopposite the traction Wheel, a wheel supporting `member having a ,30"fsupporting member having a journaled` connecl. ,tion with the outerendof thearm for movementv largepower operated traction wheel mountediso journaled conne'ctionwith the outer `end of the l arm forswivelingmovement about a substantial- `ly upright axis, a Vsidewheel journaledon the saidlsupporting member for supporting engage- `ment with theground, and a brace member ex tended between theframe and arm member andconnected to the larm member inwardly and clear ofthe journaledconnection of the wheel supporting member Withsaid arm member. VICTOR N.ALBERTSON.`

" JOHN vIIENNINGSIEIN'.

